MAKES 4 SERVINGS
Hominy is the only canned vegetable I would ever have in my pantry (besides canned chipotles in adobo). I love the chewy texture, and frying the hominy gives it the perfect crisp exterior. I add fresh, roasted corn to my hominy for its bright color and sweet taste. This treatment, reminiscent of the corn on the cob you might buy from a Mexican street vendor, gives this not-too-familiar ingredient a flair that everyone loves.
CRISPY HOMINY
Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
¼ cup white rice flour (not sticky, glutinous, or sweet rice flour)
¼ teaspoon pure ground chipotle
⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
1 (15-ounce) can hominy, drained, rinsed, and patted dry with paper towels
SKILLET CORN
1½ cups fresh corn kernels, cut from about 2 ears
1 tablespoon minced red onion
2 teaspoons minced fresh cilantro
Finely grated zest of 1 lime
Kosher Salt
Small hunk of freshly grated aged Cotija or Pecorino Romano cheese, for grating
Lime wedges, for serving
1. To heat the oil for the hominy: Pour enough oil to come 2 inches up the sides of a large saucepan and heat over high heat until it reaches 350°F on a deep-frying thermometer. Line a rimmed baking sheet with paper towels.
2. Meanwhile, cook the corn: Heat a large heavy skillet, preferably cast iron, over high heat until the skillet is very hot, at least 3 minutes. Add the corn and cook, without stirring, until the underside is deeply browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the red onion, cilantro, and lime zest and mix well. Remove from the heat.
3. To fry the hominy: Mix the rice flour, chipotle, and salt together in a medium bowl. Toss the hominy in the rice flour mixture to coat, transfer to a wire sieve, and shake to remove the excess coating. Gradually add the hominy to the hot oil, taking care that it doesn’t boil over. Deep-fry until the hominy is crispy, about 2 minutes. Using a wire spider or a slotted spoon, transfer the hominy to the paper towels to drain briefly.
4. Add the hominy to the corn mixture and mix. Season to taste with salt. Transfer to a serving bowl. Using a Microplane zester, shred a few tablespoons of Cotija cheese on top. Serve immediately, with the lime wedges.